Settling In

 So, some day I will find all the components to my camera in one place, and get some "real pics" up in this space again. For now, thanks for bearing with me as we (once again) view my world through the "lens" of my phone. 

 

 Not everything in my home is in its most functional state (as you can see I am doing my work from the kitchen table), but I always know I am settling into a place when an ease starts to set in.

 

 New rituals arise and fold into step with how you once did something.

Some things never change no matter where your feet are planted. Like work. Like motherhood. Like the pile of laundry sitting to my right. But, no matter how much is going on it always feels good to see those little indications of settling, rooting...sighing of sinking in. Nothing says that to me more than pretty flowers on my table.

Wishing you a happy weekend!

Solo Aqui: Missing Corners

The rooms are beginning to look a little sparse as we get closer to our move date. Yesterday, I had a pang of nostalgia for my shadowy and shady 1960's house we've been calling home. I wasn't supposed to get attached, and I didn't think that I had, well, at 4:30 PM yesterday,  as I was placing yet another book into a box (seriously, we still own too many!), it all hit me. Yep. We're leaving this lovely home, this lovely town, these lovely memories we have created on this street for the past 4 years.

In the last 4 years...
 We welcomed a precious little boy into our lives.
We bought a car
We traveled East to see  those we love
We lost a few that we love too
We nearly lost me  (see my story)
We enjoyed 4 family reunions
Celebrated 4 different jobs gained and lost
Made friendships that will last our lifetimes
Cooked delicious meals (and burned a few too)
Danced, cried, worried, laughed and lived these past 4 years fully.

In light of our impending transition, please expect this space to not be frequented as much for the next few weeks. I will do my best to pop in with a post here and there.  Please check back often, especially tomorrow, Thursday, when I will have the amazing Sarah from Desirous of Everything here with a fabulous guest post about one of her (and my) favorite authors.

Thank you for all your wonderful comments and support. It means the world to me. See you all again in this space from my...well, new space in October. Onward!

Take Care,
Julia

Solo Aqui: Waiting

We are in a bit of a holding pattern with this whole move-thing. Let me just say, waiting is not one of my strong suits. I am, unfortunately, not always the most patient person I could be. So what are we waiting for?

• Waiting for our loan to fully process
• Waiting to hold that Yard Sale I talked about having...um a month ago?
• Waiting to completely throw my entire life into boxes
• Waiting to sell certain furniture pieces
• Waiting to talk to certain people to schedule a time to visit them (Ack! No idea when this will happen!)
• Waiting to go on any shopping sprees(like this would ever happen, but I since can't do it right now,  I sort of want to go um, shopping for shoes).
• Waiting to make plans for Thanksgiving
• Waiting, waiting...waiting.

This process of waiting has made me a little antsy. So, I said, screw this living like a crazy nomad out of a box. I need flowers. Since, you know, flowers fix everything (right?). And since, I have packed most of my vases I rummaged through the recycling bin, and found a jar that was mostly clean. Marched myself out to my yard and scavenged for the brightest, happiest bunch of petals I could find. Filled that jar with water and tossed those lovely late summer blooms in. Ahhh...suddenly it's not as hard to wait when there are flowers on the table. 

What have you been waiting for lately?

Solo Aqui::Around the Corner

 Soon I will walk up and down these front steps with my wee one every day (planning to paint those quaint steps, and of course give that front yard lots of love and care. Any thoughts on colors for those steps?)

Soon I will be able to wash  dishes as I watch my wee one step in and out of those double window doors all by himself (as he has shown me numerous times already).

Soon the small closet will be filled and adjusted to a toddler's height (currently in the process of picking out new door knobs for the closet. Loving these knobs right now).


So many "soons" just around the corner. Looking forward to sharing our adventures in this new space. Is anyone in the process of moving and making a space their own again?

Solo Aqui::Handmade Accents In My Home

We haven't done much in the way of decorating the home we live in currently. It's more or less in functional mode. If it works, it stays, otherwise our home is very basic which allows for a lot more room for our family to exist. That doesn't mean, however that we are devoid of those little accents that define a space. Here are just a few of the handmade accents that are tucked here and there around our home. 

Our welcome wreath I constructed out of an old sweater, vintage sheets, vintage buttons, and an old table cloth, oh and a piece of wood I found on one of my outdoor outings.

My favorite sun flower pillow. Not made by me, but was a handmade gift to me from my grandmother. Handmade gifts always carries the deepest meaning to me.

These three craft wreaths I found at a thrift store for 30 cents each. I strung them up with more of that vintage bed sheet.

Two discarded mirrors I found when we moved into our home. Nothing that a little paint, a doily, and some glue couldn't fix.

Our little recycled sweater bird ornament adorns one of our bedroom doors

A recycled Salsa jar, wrapped in wire and gifted a sparse bouquet of dried lavender makes our guest bathroom a quaint little nook.

 Do you have handmade accents in your home?

Quiet Corners

Sometimes you just have to stop and take a breath and look around you. That's what I had to do the other day when things just got too...too much. You know, when you just feel cornered?  So, I decided to look around at some of my corners in our living room. And what did I see? Some little sections of my home that brightened my mood, made me rethink my next step, my next thought, my next action and settle myself back into my shoes, back into the Earth. Ahhhh.....

Happy Monday friends. Hope you had a brilliant weekend. Here's to a glorious and peaceful start to another busy week.